Manchester primary: Mayor's race a little closer than expected

MANCHESTER — Tuesday's city primary may portend a closer race for mayor of the state's largest city than many anticipated.

Alderman Patrick Arnold won 41 percent of the vote, while incumbent Mayor Ted Gatsas was 56 percent. A third candidate, Glenn Ouellette won 3 percent of the vote.

.Turnout was low, with a total of 7,161 votes cast, but it was higher than it was in 2011, when only 4,868 votes were cast in the primary.

The Arnold campaign quickly seized on the results.

"Tonight's results really speak to the power of the grassroots, and to what we can accomplish as a city if we work together," Arnold said in a statement. "That's how we are going to win this race, and that is how I will lead as mayor."..Mayor Gatsas said he wasn't disappointed by the results. "We won all 12 wards. I'm happy we were victorious," he said. "I'm happy my supporters came out, and I know they'll be that much more anxious to work in the general election to make sure we get a victory in November."..In his last election contest in 2011, Gatsas won 71 percent of the vote against challenger Chris Herbert.

In the eight other city races for alderman and school board, all the incumbents who ran survived, but Ward 10 Aldermen Phil Greazzo, with 265 votes, was the runner-up against Bill Barry, who won 313 votes...Incumbent Ward 2 Alderman Ron Ludwig won 471 votes; in November, he'll face Win Hutchinson, who won 217 votes. Jeffrey Sullivan won 123 votes.

For Ward 12 school board, Christine Duffley was the top vote-getter with 239; she'll face Constance "Connie" VanHouten, who had 214. Joel Elber won 136 votes...In the contest for Ward 12 alderman, Roger Beauchamp won 249 votes.

He'll face Keith Hirschmann, who won 215. Dick Marston got 168 votes.

In the special election for Ward 7, District 14 state representative, Democrat Mary Heath beat Republican Ross Terrio, 350 to 311...